I've seen so many things on Facebook and Pinterest through the holidays, saying things like Santa and the Elf are taking the place of Jesus. It may be true in some homes, but in our home it is not. We take time each evening to read a scripture putting our minds and hearts in the right place. I also have crafts for the kids to make, such as popsicle stick nativity scenes and Baby Jesus ornaments. This year the kids even made puppets out of popsicle sticks and turned Bernard's hot chocolate stand into a stable. Then, they used the puppets to tell the story of the birth of Jesus! It was so sweet and at times so funny!
He always begins his trips with a North Pole Breakfast! I don't stress myself out by pretending that he brings all the breakfast food. I tell my kids that I am preparing a breakfast for them to enjoy and to welcome Bernard to our house!
The menu includes Elf Stacks (mini pancakes covered in powered sugar with a paper straw stuck in the middle), Pecan Spinwheels with Christmas picks, Snow covered donuts (Powered donuts), elf hats (Strawberries on top of banana slices, and melted snowmen to drink!! I made all of the printables myself!
Bernard does bring with him a note from the North Pole, an ornament, and a book. This year he brought "Itsy Bitsy Christmas" by Max Lucado.
The next pictures are a few of Bernard's other shenanigans! Not all were reader worthy;)
Reading Luke 2, highlighting in red and green, of course.
He left supplies for each kid to make a paper countdown chain! They loved tearing off a link each day.
Sack races with a few friends!
Tic Tac Toe on marshmallows!
Hot Cocoa Stand
Left a box to donate old toys to a charity.
Left supplies to make yourself into a snowman!
Elf Kisses
Snowball toss game
Playing football in the village! Notice he got a jersey!!
Early in December we had an ice storm and were stuck in the house for days. Hannah had been thinking of a project she could do to raise money to send Bibles to public schools in the Ukraine. During our days inside, she decided to make yarn wrapped cross ornaments. She initially thought she might make $100, but after posting it to Facebook, it took off!! She ended up raising over $1000! We prayed before we made the first cross that God would bless this project, and HE SURE DID!! Bernard tried to help, but got tangled up!
Uh oh! Drawing faces on Santa and Mrs. Claus
He gave everyone rudolf noses, even himself
Wrote his name in sugar
Left supplies to make snowglobes out of paper plates! They turned out cute!
Sitting at nativity
Bernard left joke books! They were funny! "What did the snowman say to the other snowman?" "Do you smell carrots?" Haha! That was my favorite! I made Ty tell it to everyone!
Left supplies to make Christmas trees out of ice cream cones
Made elf legs out of oreos
And, attempted to make a hot air balloon! It was not exactly successful!
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